Assessment of mycobiota and aflatoxins in poultry feeds collected from poultry farms

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus genus especially by A. flavous and A. parasiticus. Out of more than twenty known aflatoxins, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1) and G2 (AFG2) are the most significant and are serious threat to poultry industry causing toxigenic diseases in poultry birds. They not only cause economic losses to the poultry industry but also affecting human health. A total of 396 samples of Starter and Grower poultry feed samples were studied for the involvement of aflatoxins and mycobiota in them with respect to regional variation effects on their growth and production. The results obtained were subjected to one way analysis of variance using single factor completely randomized design through statistical software package Statistix 8.1. The results showed significant variation among all the districts for total culturable fungi and aflatoxins levels in Starter and Grower poultry feeds samples. Minimum fungal viable counts (9.5�101 CFUs/g) were noted in the starter feed sample from Swat district, while maximum total culturable fungi (6.6�104 CFUs/g) were counted in the Grower feed samples collected from Chitral region. Starter and Grower samples from different districts of KPK, Pakistan were positive for the presences of AFB1 with mean quantities > 20μg/Kg, which was beyond WHO acceptable limit of < 20μg/Kg. Significant contamination of all - poultry rations by various species of fungi and elevated levels of AFB1 (> 20μg/Kg) is a serious health issue that needs proper attention and remedial measures.